Wanders Through Time
by EstiRose
Summary: Kamen Rider Den-O. Sakurai Yuuto has his reasons for doing as he does. Series of 20 200-word fics.
1. Bitter to Sweet

_Disclaimer: Characters don't belong to me, they belong to TV-Asahi and Toei._

_Note: 1st in a set of 20 fics revolving around Sakurai Yuuto._

**Bitter to Sweet  
by Estirose  
c 2008**

She'd made the coffee too bitter the first time he'd met her, and he'd commented on it. She'd protested that he hadn't taken the time to enjoy the rich flavor of the coffee, to look past the bitterness and enjoy the taste.

And so he'd done that, enjoyed it.

The coffee was bitter, true, but Airi knew her stuff and her coffee beans. She could coax flavor out of them that he'd never tasted, and taught him to appreciate the same. And somewhere along there, he'd talked to her, and she'd talked to him, and suddenly he was dating Nogami Airi.

He'd had plenty of competition, but Airi loved the stars as well, so the two of them had spent plenty of time together. He fostered that interest even more, helped her find books, fell in love with her again. She was a delightful woman with an equally delightful little brother.

Sakurai had wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, and found that she wanted the same. So, they made plans to marry, plans to make a family.

It was too bad that it all went wrong.


	2. More Important than Money

_Disclaimer: Characters belong to Toei and TV-Asahi, not me._

**More Important than Money  
by Estirose  
c 2008**

The doors of the Milk Dipper slammed open as the man stalked out. Sakurai Yuuto vaguely recognized him - someone who had been interested in Airi, some kind of financial guy. Airi disliked him, she'd confided, because he cared more for money than anything else. Of course, money was always useful, but his and Airi's philosophy was that love was more important than money.

The man glared at Sakurai as he walked off. Sakurai himself entered the Milk Dipper with some trepidation. Airi was a loving soul, hard to anger and easy to forgive, but it was sometimes better to let her finish losing her temper before approaching her.

She was frowning when he came in, but it quickly turned to a smile. "Yuuto! Come in." The Milk Dipper was deserted; he'd deliberately timed things so that he came in when things were slow.

"Are you all right?" he asked. "I saw... whoever that was... leaving."

"Fujishiro Yuyo," she supplied. "I'm fine. He doesn't understand why I don't love him."

Sakurai nodded, letting her lean into his arms. "Sometimes, they just don't." He was lucky; she loved him.

"No, they don't," she agreed.


	3. Making Plans, Staying Alive

_Disclaimer: Characters belong to Toei and TV-Asahi, not me._

**Making Plans, Staying Alive  
by Estirose  
c 2008**

"There's nothing to be afraid of," Airi said, as if speaking to a recalitrant child. He could see Ryoutarou grinning, and he couldn't help but grin back. With Airi and Ryoutarou, he felt truly at home, part of their family.

But still, even he had his doubts that Airi could beat out the coffee chains that were starting to appear. Airi's place was small, charming, known for its coffee and its astronomy books. But still, Airi made her coffee herself, didn't use an automatic brewer. People came to the Milk Dipper because of the nature of her coffee, but it did take her a while to brew it.

It was a good thing, Sakurai Yuuto reflected, that there were plenty of books to read while one waited. He was her book adviser for when she could afford new books for the cafe, or when he felt there was a book that they had to get. He hoped to be picking up books more often; he and Airi had plans for a series of lectures, delivered by him, while she made coffee. Maybe also trips to see the stars.

Together, they would keep the Milk Dipper running.


	4. Gainfully Employed

_See part 1 for disclaimers/notes._

**Gainfully Employed  
by Estirose  
c 2008**

"You're pregnant?" Sakurai Yuuto asked incredulously. The two of them had moved from table to counter to bedroom over their relationship; he'd never dreamed he'd be a father. It was perhaps a good thing that they'd announced their engagement.

In a matter of months, they'd be parents. They'd be married by then, the baby would be a Sakurai, not a Nogami. He'd take care of the baby, soothe them when they cried, let Airi do what she did best.

After all, she was more gainfully employed than he was, he was embarrassed to admit.

Sure, he had a small amount of income, an inheritance plus some financially useful odd jobs. But he was poor and he knew it, just making enough for a tiny apartment and enough to eat.

"Of course I am," Airi said, smiling. Of course, what could go wrong? Airi would be a good mother, he would be a good father, and Ryoutarou would make a good uncle. Between them, they'd manage.

"Of course you are," he repeated. "Airi... congratulations."

She smiled even more, that wonderful smile of hers. "Isn't it great?"

Sakurai Yuuto kissed her in agreement.


	5. Too Cruel Genes

_Disclaimers and such in part 1._

**Too Cruel Genes  
by Estirose  
c 2008**

It was fate, Sakurai believed, that brought the ZeroLiner into his and Airi's lives. Brought him the ability to fight as Zeronos, gave him the terrible knowledge that his child was special. Gave him the knowledge that his future brother-in-law was special too.

He and Airi both had ancestors that were Singularity Points. Ryoutarou had gotten the full dose of those genes, and he knew from what he could access that his child - possibly any children - with Airi would be a Singularity point like their uncle.

ZeroLiner had only come to them because it knew - something in it knew - that their future was in danger. Their child was in danger, because of that Singularity Point status he or she shared with Ryoutarou. It was a distinct cruelty that his child that he or she would be hunted because of what they were, because of something that they might not ever really know about. Singularity Points were immune to changes in time - and how often did that come up?

So, he and Airi would protect their child, protect that precious gift his child would share with Ryoutarou, because he had to. It was a too cruel fate otherwise.


	6. Breaking Time

_Disclaimers and such in part 1._

**Breaking Time  
by Estirose  
c 2008**

One could say, given the true nature of time, that what he and Airi were proposing to do would break it. Sakurai Yuuto grinned at that thought. It wasn't like they were breaking it, exactly. It was more like they were changing it around a bit, like one would rearrange things to hide something one didn't want found. That this involved erasing memories to alter time made it a bit different than hiding a spouse or sibling's present, harder to do, but still the same principle.

It wasn't like he and Airi wanted to do what they had to do, but they were doing it anyway. At least he could smile a bit at the grimness of the situation, the fact that they might be rearranging time to save somebody's life.

He and Airi might be amateurs, but it really wasn't that complex. It reminded him of that scene in the American movie "Men in Black" where the agency had to erase a whole lot of memories, and here he only had to erase two.

Maybe he was breaking time, but broken things could heal. Broken memories could be returned. Only time would tell.


	7. Make Him Understand

_Disclaimers and notes in part 1._

**Make Him Understand  
by Estirose  
c 2008**

Airi clasped her hands over her abdomen as they both contemplated what they'd planned. She knew what had to be done, and he knew what had to be done, but it was a loss for both of them, temporary if they could pull it off, but if they couldn't... well, Sakurai hoped they'd pulled it off.

Ryoutarou knew something was going on with his sister. Sakurai didn't know if he knew the specifics, but him knowing was dangerous. It would have been better if Ryoutarou had not known; the first time an Imagin went into the past, Ryoutarou's memories would restore the world... but he could hardly restore what he didn't know about.

Airi had agreed that she couldn't remember either. Sakurai would, but his cards knocked him out of the timestream, didn't allow him to be used to remake the world.

"We should tell him, and then we should do it," she said finally, looking up at him. "If he knows, maybe he'll understand."

"Maybe," Sakurai allowed. "I hope so."

It was too much to hope for, but he had to follow Airi's wishes. And maybe Ryoutarou would understand.


	8. No Time To Say Goodbye

_Disclaimers and notes in part one._

**No Time (To Say Goodbye)  
by Estirose  
c 2008**

There was no time to say goodbye.

He was fighting Kai, trying to keep him from blasting the entire timeline apart. It wasn't like Airi could remember anyway; his card had wiped her memory and hopefully Ryoutarou's. It should have, though he never wanted to do that ever again. Forcing the overload of power needed to affect Ryoutarou had made him queasy, right in the middle of things.

But when Ryoutarou subconsciously reestablished the timeline, everything should be as he and Airi had planned.

Sakurai had wanted to have more time with his fiancee, wanted to say a proper goodbye before everything had happened. But Airi had told him of her trip on a train, of the younger him, had begun to say something about Ryoutarou before they were interrupted by Kai.

And then he'd used his card, and she'd forgotten. She'd forgotten him.

Now he had to fight, and fight, and hope he'd survive to flee into time, Kai and his goons chasing him, his younger self fighting against Kai in the present and the past.

It had hurt, not being able to say goodbye. "Love you," he whispered once more to Airi.


	9. Forgotten, For Safety's Sake

_Disclaimers and notes in part 1._

**Forgotten, for Safety's Sake  
by Estirose  
c 2008**

He'd given up who he was, given up who he would be, given up everything, forsaken love and life and everything to save the world.

To save his fiance, and his child.

His potential brother-in-law had forgotten the child; the cards were powerful enough to block even a Singularity Point's memories, thank goodness. Whatever Ryoutarou remembered, existed. What he forgot, disappeared. Airi's memories were wiped too, even though she didn't have Ryoutarou's power; between the two of them, the child was not coming back. At least until it was safe, until there was a way to make Airi remember, or Ryoutarou.

Until then, he'd slip through time, drawing the Imagin away from his family, away from Airi and their potential child, away from Ryoutarou so that he couldn't remember.

He was limited only by his memories, though his younger self would burn those up. He'd be forgotten by everybody just as he'd been forgotten by Airi, hopefully forgotten by Ryoutarou. Soon, he'd be alone, wandering time, forgotten by all he cared about.

But he'd protect them, even if they forgot who he was. He'd protect them.


	10. Ways of Killing

_See disclaimers and notes in part 1._

**Ways of Killing  
by Estirose  
c 2008**

The creature appeared before him, back to him, trying to find him in the particular time he'd traveled to, trying to eliminate him. It looked like a particularly ugly scorpion, somebody's subconscious image of one, at least. That's how the Imagin got their forms, after all, and he'd seen some rather bizarre ones. Heck, even Deneb wasn't particularly inconspicuous, though he looked a lot better than Sakurai thought anything out of his imagination might be.

He wondered if the creature was poisonous, if that was how it intended to kill him. Of course, simple blasts or a claw might do, or that big stinger might dispense too much electricity for his body to handle. Sakurai had seen his death in the dozens of creatures sent to look for him; seen claws, swords, all sorts of bladed weapons. Blasters as well, guns, anything that could kill a human being, the Imagin had it.

Fortunately, he had good luck; he was still around, still being the decoy, still saving Airi. Ryoutarou and his younger self would take care of the rest, kill the Imagin, save the world.

Off he walked, heading for another time, another place. Again.


	11. Bleeding Sand

_Disclaimers and notes in part 1_

**Bleeding Sand  
by Estirose  
c 2008**

Sakurai Yuuto coughed as he lost his transformation, gritting his teeth in pain. Kai and the others were too close behind him, too near to really be safe in the state he was in, but he didn't really have a choice in the matter.

"Yuuto! Yuuto! Are you okay?" The Imagin his older self had named Deneb had gone to physical form, alarmed by his sudden shift. Yuuto had to wonder what had prompted his older self to bond with the Imagin, and then reminded himself that being an Imagin's host wasn't something humans had a choice about; it was either make a wish and hope that it wasn't too damaging to one's personal timeline, or keep them inside and hope it didn't interpret one's simplest words as a wish. His older self had made a wish to Deneb, and Yuuto was stuck with him.

At least he didn't bleed sand everywhere like some Imagin hosts did; it was annoying, messy, and got everywhere.

"I'm fine," he snapped, just as Deneb helped him up. "Let's get out of here."

"All right!" Deneb proclaimed, and they both stumbled through the alley.


	12. Maybe Alone

_Disclaimers and notes in part 1._

**Maybe Alone  
by Estirose  
c 2008**

Yuuto was never alone. He had Deneb constantly trying to help him - or at least make him eat Shiitake - and now he had Nogami, well-meaning do-gooder that would someday be his brother in law. Deneb and Nogami got along just great. It occured to him that Deneb and Nogami would have made excellent partners, but Deneb was bonded to him, and nothing would ever change that.

Besides, he was ten years in his own future; a time traveler from the past, having to learn new things, new history, new anything that would make him blend in a little, what little he had to. Deneb kept him company, advised him on what to do and what not to do, and Yuuto even took his advice sometimes, at least when it made sense.

Ten years in the future, he should have been married to Nogami Airi, been expecting a child, should have been celebrating. But instead, that him was gone, and he had taken that man's place. Watched her smile, knew she'd forgotten. Forgotten the him of this time, her baby, her engagement. Forgotten him. He had to admit that it stung.

Maybe he was alone, after all.


	13. The Fools That Wait

_Disclaimers and notes in part 1._

**The Fools that Wait  
by Estirose  
c 2008**

Every time Yuuto came to the Milk Dipper to see Airi, his fiancee-to-be, he wanted to growl. And there was no reason to. She had no clue who he was, had no idea that the young man that was sometimes her brother's friend, who didn't like her coffee, was anything other than that.

Still, he watched the fools that tried to attract her, tried to get her attention. There was something in her that prevented her from noticing them; partly her own nature, and partly because, deep inside, she had to know that it was wrong.

That he - the mysterious future him - would come back to her.

Someday, things would be right. She would remember who he was, and the future him would step out of time, and everything would be as it should have been. They would be together once more, they'd have the baby, and everything would be all right with the world.

Then all these fools would be gone, the threat of infidelity with them, back away from where they shouldn't be, leave them alone. Because they would be back together some day.

He swore to everything that it would happen.


	14. No Choice But To Lie

_Disclaimers and notes in part 1._

**No Choice But To Lie  
by Estirose  
c 2008**

The lie was necessary. That truth burned in his soul, kept him from telling Nogami everything about the whole mission. He knew, if only from his future self, that Nogami had to remain ignorant. He had to remain ignorant to his future kin, had to remain ignorant of his older self's true mission. Right now, Nogami knew that his older self had fled into time, taking the pocketwatch with him, luring the Imagin.

But he didn't know why. And unless it turned out that Yuuto had no choice, he would not, could not know why.

So Yuuto lied and taunted and annoyed his future brother-in-law, hoping against hope that the other man would never ask, never wonder why the future self was out there roaming time instead of being with Airi. He would do everything he had to do if it kept his future wife, his future child safe.

Nogami Ryoutarou was starting to question, though, starting to wonder what was wrong, what had happened, why he didn't remember certain things and what those certain things were. So Yuuto lied, and lied, and lied some more, and hoped to hell that Nogami would believe him.


End file.
